Research highlights

Surinder Batra, PhD

Surinder Batra, PhD

The UNMC College of Medicine received grant and funding awards representing $3,491,394 in new funding in May.

  • Russell McCulloh, MD, pediatrics-hospitalists, received a grant of $1,202,100 from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center for COVID vaccine trial in college-age persons. Dr. McCulloh also received a grant of $47,246 from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences for the data coordinating and operations center (DCOC) for the IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network.
  • Diane Ehlers, PhD, neurological sciences, received a grant of $603,299 from DHHS/NIH/NCI for a study on “enhancing cognitive function in breast cancer survivors through community-based aerobic exercise training.”
  • Hana Niebur, MD, pediatrics-allergy, received a grant of $309.802 for a data coordinating and operations center for the IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network.
  • Joshua Santarpia, PhD, pathology/microbiology, received a grant of $307, 588 from the National Strategic Research Institute for a study on intrinsic factors impacting viral aerosol stability in the environment.
  • Surinder Batra, PhD, biochemistry and molecular biology, received a grant of $297,451 from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to study urine and serum biomarkers for early diagnosis and risk assessment of pancreatic cancer.
  • Karsten Bartels, MD, PhD, anesthesiology, received a grant of $153,760 from DHHS/NIH/NIDA for opioid prescription safety after surgery.
  • Ashley Deschamp, MD, pediatrics-pulmonary, received a $94,513 Therapeutics Development Center Award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
  • Paras Kumar Mishra, PhD, cellular/integrative physiology, received a grant of $76,500 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for a Nebraska Center for the Prevention of Obesity Diseases through Dietary Molecules pilot project: Gut dysbiosis in diabetic cardiomyopathy.
  • Tatiana Clemente, PhD, pathology/microbiology, received a grant of $73, 430 from the American Heart Association to study coxiella manipulation of IL-17 intracellular signaling.
  • Melissa Cullimore, MD, PhD, pediatrics-critical care, received a grant of $71,928 from Boston Children’s Hospital to study immunobiology of influenza virus-related critical illness in young hosts.
  • Susan Swindells, MBBS, internal medicine-infectious diseases, received a grant of $71,737 from Boys Town National Research Hospital to study the progressive elevation of spontaneous cortical activity in HAND (PESCAH) project. Dr. Swindells also received a grant of $32,679 from UCLA for the leadership and operations center AIDS Clinical Trials Group.
  • Blake Bertrand, pathology/microbiology, received a grant pf $63,040 from the American Heart Association to study elucidating myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) fate during S. aureus biofilm infection.
  • John Davis, PhD, obstetrics and gynecology, received a grant of $46,053 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for the Nebraska Center for the Prevention of Obesity Diseases through Dietary Molecules pilot project: Identification of metabolic pathways in ovarian steroidogenic tissues.
  • Jose Fernandes, MD, neurological sciences, received three grants of $6,925 each from Massachusetts General Hospital for tasks orders involving verdiperstat, home spirometry and open-label extension period.

Industry-sponsored grants and contracts:

The following industry-sponsored contracts and foundation grants were received. Information on clinical trials enrolling patients at UNMC can be found here.

  • Javeed Iqbal, PhD, pathology/microbiology, received funding to study the therapeutic efficacy of degrading Stat3 in PTCLs.
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